Monday Recovery: Norwood midfielder Matthew Nunn sticks with plan to do medical for AFL mid-season draft

Norwood gun Matthew Nunn is one of six SANFL players booked in for a medical for AFL mid-season draft. Plus ex-Dogs ruckman fires for Cats, Redlegs’ costly loss, and Tigers’ height hurts opponents. This and more in our weekly SANFL wrap.

• No stone unturned as Tigers prepare for draft losses
• Eagles shock Redlegs to dump them from top
• Tigers crush Bulldogs to lead the pack
• Jenkins bags six — and a lot of confidence
• Panthers topple Roosters to push to third

A hip injury won’t stop Norwood midfielder Matthew Nunn attending the AFL mid-season draft medical in Melbourne on Wednesday.

His management confirmed he will be attending the medical despite a hip injury forcing him out of the loss to Woodville-West Torrens at Woodville Oval on Saturday.

Nunn will get a rest this weekend because of a bye, but he is expected to be sidelined for at least another game and then his training load will need to be managed.

South Adelaide pair Michael Knoll and Mark Noble have been added to the list of players who will be tested at the AFL medical. The other SANFL players are Glenelg pair Cory Gregson and Lachlan Hosie and West Adelaide wingman John Noble, brother of Mark.

The draft is next Monday night.

The Bulldogs show some rare fight against the Tigers. Picture: Matt Loxton

TIGERS’ HEIGHT

The Tigers forward line on Saturday contained Liam McBean, Lachlan Hosie, Luke Reynolds and Tom Schott among others. Respectively, they are 202cm, 186cm, 188cm and 190cm.

Down back for the Bulldogs were David Haydon, Kyle Jenner, Nick Madden, Brendan Dew, Frazer O’Gorman and Marcus Barreau. Respectively, they are 180cm, 181cm, 192cm, 180cm, 180cm and 182cm.

It was a height advantage the Tigers used with telling effect. They were smart and skilful going into attack and the forwards feasted off terrific delivery.

FORT HOLDS STRONG

To all those people who have no idea and claim the SANFL is no longer relevant, what did you think of Darcy Fort’s debut for Geelong on Saturday?

Fort bagged three goals and had a heavy influence in the Cats’ win over Western Bulldogs.

The ruckman was raised in the Geelong area, but never got a look in come draft time. So he moved to South Australia with brother Fraser to have a game with Central District.

And the 25-year old was plucked from the Bulldogs with pick No. 65 in last year’s national draft. Obviously the Cats rated his form SANFL form!

Fraser had a solid game for the Bulldogs in the loss to Glenelg on Saturday.

COSTLY LOSS

What about the Redlegs’ loss to the Eagles at Woodville Oval on Saturday?

It was certainly costly for the Redlegs, dropping them from top to fourth, such is the tight struggle on the ladder.

The major beneficiary was the Tigers, who are on top with five wins and a draw from seven rounds. Adelaide, whose only loss is to the Tigers, are second with South Adelaide, which had a draw with the Tigers after coughing up a big lead, third.

Eagle's coach Sam Lonergan is a winner again. Picture: Dean Martin/AAP

EMERY EMERGES

Kyle Emery gave the Panthers a different look in attack against the Roosters on Saturday and he finished with 4.5 to have a significant influence in the win.

The club describes him as a fast, powerful forward who is an elite shot. Emery has had a few football homes and has been playing with Palmerston in the NTFL in the past few years. Last year, he kicked 40 goals in 11 games for Noarlunga in the Southern Football League.

He even had a stint with the Gold Coast Suns academy in 2015/16.

When Sam Overall is up and about and Tom Whittlesea doing his bit, the Panthers’ forward line has more weapons with a player such as Emery, who can be tough to match up on.

SUN GLARE

Why does umpires boss Shane Harris instruct his boys to officiate from the corridor when they are looking straight into the sun?

He was at Elizabeth Oval on Saturday and would have noticed the umps with their arm’s up above their eyes to shield them from the sun in the final quarter. Scrap the plan Shane and have the umps look away from the sun.

Then again, it wasn’t the sun causing many of those head-shaking decisions. And in front of the commissioners too.

QUOTE

We are keen to develop a respected brand and how people look at us, and go they are a serious footy team, they are not the team which will roll over under pressure.

— Glenelg coach Mark Stone

West's Lyndon Hupfeld and Sturt's Luke Edmonds comes to grips. Picture: Brenton Edwards

RESULTS

Sturt 9.18 (72) d West Adelaide 8.5 (53) at City Mazda Stadium, Richmond

Adelaide 18.13 (121) d Port Adelaide 16.9 (105) at Alberton Oval

Eagles 10.21 (81) d Norwood 10.10 (70) at Maughan Thiem Kia Oval, Woodville

Glenelg 17.7 (109) d Central District 8.12 (60) at X Convenience Oval, Elizabeth

South Adelaide 12.12 (84) d North Adelaide 8.14 (62) at Prospect Oval

SANFL ladder after Round 7

GOALKICKERS

Lachlan Hosie (Glenelg) 19

Luke Reynolds (Glenelg) 18

Tyson Stengle (Adelaide) 17

Liam McBean (Glenelg) 16

Jono Beech (West) 16

Peter Bampton (Norwood) 15

James Rowe (Eagles) 15

Keenan Ramsey (North) 14

Tobin Cox (Port) 14

Adelaide’s Myles Poholke wasn’t down for long against Port. Picture: Russell Millard/AAP

DISPOSALS

Jack Trengove (Port) 258

Sam Colquhoun (Sturt) 228

Lewis Johnston (Norwood) 210

Will Snelling (West) 208

Patrick Wilson (Adelaide) 201

Zane Kirkwood (Sturt) 198

Jarred Allmond (North 192

CONTESTED MARKS

Luke Reynolds (Glenelg) 15

Sam Overall (South) 15

Jack Hayes (Eagles) 14

Josh Patullo (Sturt) 13

Billy Frampton (Port) 13

Mitch Harvey (North) 12

Michael Knoll (South) 11

ON THE BANDWAGON

When colleague Andrew Capel drove into Elizabeth Oval behind me on Saturday it was obvious the Glenelg bandwagon was in town. It’s lucky he had Google Maps on his phone. There won’t be many spots on the wagon after the Tiges climbed to top of the ladder.

No problem getting a seat on the Bulldogs’ wagon.

OFF THE BANDWAGON

Bulldogs coach Roy Laird noted some of the work of his players against the Tigers was not league standard. When blokes cannot hit a 15m target with foot under absolutely no pressure, how can you question the coach’s thoughts.

RANKINGS

1: Glenelg — while the Bulldogs were awful, the Tigers were highly impressive and they deserve top ranking (and top spot on the ladder). They are playing very disciplined football and getting an even team contribution. In the past two rounds they have broken lengthy losing streaks, maybe the third this season will be the flag.

2: Eagles — they have been well below expectations this season and they finally found their true form with an upset win over previously top-placed Norwood. Maybe this is the win which kickstarts their season.

Superb set of play by @Adelaide_FC #SANFL pic.twitter.com/oIFAK6W09X

— 7SANFL (@7SANFL) May 18, 2019

3: Adelaide — the Crows led comfortably in the first half and probably should have won by more given the quality of their line-up and depth of AFL players. But you take any win at Alberton Oval.

4: South Adelaide — it wasn’t a spectacular win by the Panthers, but the Roosters were closer to full strength than they have been for a while.

5: Sturt — there wasn’t anything pretty about the win, but the Double Blues got the job done at Richmond Oval for their third successive win. Things are starting to build nicely for coach Nathan Grima.

6: Norwood — led at half-time and three-quarter time, only to be outscored 3.8 to 2.1 in the final quarter. The Redlegs have lost their past two games, but have been extremely competitive.

7: Port Adelaide — were always going to be the underdogs against a Crows side loaded with AFL talent and playing in hot form. Faced a hefty deficit early, but showed plenty of fight.

8: North Adelaide — conceded three goals and failed to kick one itself in the third quarter and the damage was done. Very competitive for the other three terms against the Panthers.

Sturt was able to keep the Bloods at arm’s length. Picture: Brenton Edwards

9: West Adelaide — in the game most of the night in a scrappy contest, although the Double Blues had 14 more scoring attempts. The Bloods are highly competitive for lengthy periods, only to drop out of games.

10: Central District — that effort against the Tigers simply not good enough.

THIS WEEK

Sunday

Glenelg (top) v Port Adelaide (6th)

ACH Group Stadium, Glenelg, 1.10pm

Friday, May 31

Norwood (4th) v West Adelaide (9th)

Coopers Stadium, Norwood, 7.20pm

Saturday, June 1

North Adelaide (10th) v Adelaide (2nd)

Prospect Oval, 2.10pm

Eagles (7th) v South Adelaide (3rd)

Maughan Thiem Kia Oval, Woodville, 2.40pm

Sunday, June 2

Sturt (5th) v Central District (8th)

Peter Motley Oval, Unley, 2.10pm